Stationary connector for termini of angularly disposed conveyers



Nov. 15, 1949 o. E. KANTENWEIN 2,487,878

STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OF ANGULARLY DSPOSED CONVEYERS FiledJuly 29, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l O. E. KANTENWEIN STATIONARY CONNECTOR FORTERMINI 0F Nov. 15, 1949 ANGULARLY msPosED coNvEYERs 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed July 29, 1947 m e 71a. WK.. E P M ,0

Nov. 15, 1949 v O. E. KANTENWEIN STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OFANGULAPLY DISPOSED CONVEYERS Filed July 29, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5jira/vz@ Nov. l5, 1949 o. E. KANTENWEIN 2,487,878

STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI OF ANGULARLY DISPOSED CONVEYERS 4Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 29, 1947 Patented Nov. 15, 1949 UNITED STAT-Esement foreros 'STATIONARY CONNECTOR FOR TERMINI 0F ANGULARLY DISPOSE-DICNVEYERS Oscar E. Kantenwein, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 29, 1947, .Serial No. 764,512

3 Claims. (Cl. 1593-435) My invention relates to stationary tableinterconnecting devices between Vangularly disposed conveyors, toreplace the customary v'turntable structure used for the Isame purposes.

An important object of my invention is Ato provide a stationary ltableinterconnecting device that may be used to connect from two or moreangularly disposed conveyors, either of a horizontal type or a gravitytype conveyor.

A further object `oi my invention iis to provide a stationary tableinterconnecting device `that, by means of a number of rows oi ballbear-ings, -the tops of `which `extend yslightly above the floor of thesaidstationary `table, -dollies or boxes may be easily moved from theconnecting conveyor, pivoted on the stationary interconnecting device,and moved ,on-to a second angularly disposed -conveyor.

A further object 'of my invention is to lprovide a stationaryinterconnecting ydevice that may be set into the cement flooring at thesame -level as the horizontal conveyor `track ern-bedded in the oor, towhich it 'is connected, or it may be set at any higher ievel that isvrezor-iven-ier-i-t for the operator, and may be used with gravity typeconveyors. l

' A still further object of my invention is to provide, in a stationarytable interconnecting device, a curbing means vhigh enough to act as aguide to the edge of the dolly `as is being swung from one conveyortrack to another angularly disposed conveyor track.

A still further obiect of my invention is -to provide a dolly, into thefour -corners of which are set ball bearings, to Vprovide a frictionlessturning means against the laforementioned curbing, as the dolly isshifted in its directional path from one conveyor track to another. Y

A still further object vof my invention is to provide, in a stationarytable interconnecting device, a slipprcof door, the surface of which lissuitably roughened to 'provide a safe footing and traction for theoperator.

Another object of my invention Ais to provide a stationary tableinterconnecting unit, consisting of substantially two right vangularsectors having extending upright walls defining dihedral angles, thesaid walls and the said `angles cooperating in deecting the path of aload traversing the said conveyors.

Other objects and advantages inherent in my invention will becomereadily apparent from the Aensuing vdescription and 'the accompanyingdrawings, in which like parts are designated by like numbers, and inwhich:

2 Fig. V1 represents' a perspective view .of my 4invention showing 'itconnected to two grav-ity .conveyors and showing lan operatori-n the actof turning a ydolly from one `conveyor to another.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View taken substantially on lines 2--2 ofFig'. "1.

Fig. `3 is -a perspective view foi my invention showing it set into acement iioor and connected to two angularly `disposed Vhorizontalconveyors embedded in the floor.

Fig. 4 is a Itop view of my invention lshowing it set into a cementfloor and connecting thr-ee angularly disposed horizontal conveyors`embedded in the floor.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portionvof my invention takensubstantially :on lines 5-"5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a top view oi'my invention showing it set into the `cementiioor .and connecting tour angularly disposed horizontal 'conveyorsembedded in the iioor.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of -a -dolly with parts broken away toshow its operation and -position on my stationary table interconnectingdevice.

The customary mannen at present employed, for `cie-fleeting the path ofa load transferred over angularly disposed conveyors is to use an4expensive turntable device or unit requiring `expensive motivatingequipment 'in association therewith and the use of electrical or `othersource of power as a constant expense in the operation of the saidturntable.

Incidental with turntable devices `and their associated mechanism, theyare subjected to wear and tear to a greater extent, requiringmaintenance, upkeep, and further expenses in their maintenance forelicient operation. My stationary table is more eil'lcient and a decidedadvantage over the present systems.

My invention generally designated 8 consists of two quadrants or sectors9, which are connected by two oppositely disposed dihedral sideformations 2l and 22. Y

In my invention generally 'designated 8, shown in Fig. l, the dihedralshaped side portions 22 are slightly bent at 23 to join the arcuateportions 9. A circular bottom l0 Aand a flooringv H having suitableshape to mate lwith the said sectors 9 to complete the structure andprovide housing for a number of rows of ball bearings I4. The ballbearings I4 may revolve :on a bed of small ball bearings 16 in ahemspherical housing l5, so arranged that `asmall portion of the ballbearings 14 extend through openings i3 in the floor II, above the levelof the projections I2 on the said floor I I.

The two angularly disposed gravity conveyors 24 are attached to myinvention, on one side to a fiange 25 on the arcuate side 9, and on theother side by a plate 26 attached to the side 2|.

My invention, designated 8, as shown in Fig. 1, is provided with anumber of legs I'I, the height being suicient to allow an operator 32,as shown in dotted lines, to easily manipulate and shift the path ofdolly 28 from one to another of the two angularly disposed gravityconveyors 24. The dolly 28, in this instance, is shown with side racks29 and carrying a load 30, and riding on the rollers 21 of the gravityconveyor 24 in the direction of the arrows 44 in Fig. 1.

A suitable dolly, as shown in Fig. 7, may be constructed of heavy planks38, held together by an iron band 39 and having proportions suitable toenable it to shift within the curbing I9 around the wall of thestationary table interconnecting device, its width being determined bythe width of the conveyors 24. The dolly 28 may also be provided Withfour ball bearings 3|, set `one in each of the four corners of the saiddolly in hemispherical housings 4I and rotating upon small ball bearings42.

A number of recessed openings 40 around the edge of the dolly 28 providesupport for the rack posts 43, or for the side and end plates to make upthe enclosure 29. As the dolly 28 reaches a position on the surface ofthe table interconnector 8, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the ballbearing 3| in the front corner of the dolly 28 will be deflected by thedeflector curb 23 of the sides 22 and begin to turn the dolly on theball bearings I4 of the connector 8.

The operator 32 grasps the dolly28 without checking its movement andpivots it upon the apex 33 of the dihedral angle which aids in theinitiation of the shifting movement, turning it in the direction of thearrows 45 until it is angularly disposed in alignment with the secondgravity conveyor 24 and moving in the direction of the arrow 46.

Fig. 3 illustrates a slight modification of my invention, generallydesignated 34, which differs from the first illustrated type only inthat it is set into the cement floor I8 so that the top of its curbingI9 is flush with the top of the cement floor I8, and its floor II isiiush with the floors of the two angularly disposed conveyors 35 towhich it is connected.

The stationary table interconnecting device 34 is attached to the twoangularly disposed horizontal conveyors 35 in the same manner as thatpreviously described for the stationary table interconnecting device 8and the gravity conveyors 24, except that there are no legs I7 providedin this instance. The tops of the ball bearings I4 are the same distanceabove the oor II as the tops of the rollers 37 are above the tracks ofthe conveyors 35, so that a dolly 28, as shown in Fig. 3 in solid lines,may be pushed easily from the conveyor 35 onto the stationaryinterconnecting table 34 shifted to assume a path in the direction ofthe arrows 45 and 01T the conveyor connector in the direction of thearrows 46 on the sescond of the two angularly disposed conveyors 3 Thedolly 28, at all times, is tangentially in contact with the rollers 3'!or with the balls I4, the exposed surfaces of the balls I4 being spacedsufficiently apart and extending above the projections I2, thusaffording firm footage and traction to the soles of the shoes of anoperator during the dolly manipulating operation.

Fig. 4 further illustrates a further modification of my invention,designated 36, which is similar to the modification, designated 34,except that it connects three angularly disposed conveyors 35 instead oftwo, so that a dolly 28 may be pushed onto the conveyor connector 35from either of two directions and straight across, or maybe pivotedangularly to a third direction, asshown by full and dotted lines in Fig.4.

A fourthmodication of my invention, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and isgenerally designated 3'I. It is similar to modification designated 38except that it connects four angularly disposed conveyors 35 instead ofthree, so that dolly loads 28 may be pushed onto the conveyor connectors31 from any one of four directions as represented, in this instance, bycrossing aisles between the walls 41.

The illustrations l, 3, 4 and 6 show the simple and compact form of myconveyor stationary interconnecting table which can be installed in therestricted areas illustrated, at the same time functioning as a mostefcient conveyor connector.

It will be noted that the sides 2I are of a somewhat heavierconstruction than the sides 22 or the sides 9, due to the fact that theapex 33 acts as a pivoting point for the dolly 28 as it is turned fromone angularly disposed conveyor` to another.

The dolly 28 in Fig. 6 may be manipulated so that it travels in astraight path from one conveyor 35 to another conveyoi` 35 inco-extensive alignment therewith, or it may be deflected from oneconveyor 35 to any of the angularly positioned conveyors 35.

Since many changes could be made in this construction without departurefrom the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all mattercontained in the accompanying drawings, or in the foregoing description,shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

Having thus described and disclosed my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least two angularly disposedconveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the saidconveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing meansspaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, thespaces intermediate the said universal bearing means being roughened toafford traction to the shoe soles of an operator.

2. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least -two angularly disposedconveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the saidconveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing meansspaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, the saidtable composed of -two sector sections having perimetrally thereabout aprojecting guide wall broken at the juncture to the said angularlydisposed conveyors.

3. A conveyor mechanism comprising, at least two angularly disposedconveyors, and a stationary conveyor table interconnecting the saidconveyors, the said table being provided with universal bearing meansspaced at predetermined distances on the upper surface thereof, thespaces intermediate the said universal bearing means being roughened toafford traction to the shoe soles of an operator, the said tablecomposed of two sector sections having perimetrally there- UNITED STATESPATENTS about a projecting guide Wall broken at the juncture to the saidangularly disposed conveyors. Nuggezg F1 Osame JulyDza-e 1887 OSCAR E.KANTENWEDT.

5 OTHER REFERENCES REFERENCES CITED Mathews Conveyors-Engineering Dataand The following references are of record in the Applications,copyrighted 1930. le of this patent:

